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N7KTP > NAVNET 12.03.05 22:11l 67 Lines 3960 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 33711_N7FSP
Read: GUEST DG8DG
Subj: HMAS COLLINS
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Sent: 050312/0002z @:N7FSP.#SEA.#WWA.WA.USA.NOAM West Seattle, WA. on 145.010
Australia's Collins participates in international games in Northwest
NUWC Division - Public Affairs
As the world's eyes were focused squarely on Sydney and the 2000
Olympics, a rare international phenomenon was occurring right here in
our own backyards. Ironically, while the United States had sent its
finest to Australia to engage in international competition, Australia
also sent some of its finest to the Pacific Northwest for some games
of an entirely different nature; games that would set a preparatory
stage for allied interoperability in case of the ultimate international
competition...war. And in reality, this competition was merely one of
many similar rehearsals conducted annually around the globe.
On September 29th, 2002, the Royal Australian submarine Collins
slipped into Nanoose Bay, British Columbia under the power of her diesel
engines. While the U.S. and Australian submarine forces train together
on a very regular basis, this event marked the first time an Australian
submarine had ever visited the Pacific Northwest region. The visit was
sponsored by Submarine Group Nine, Naval Undersea Warfare Center
Division Keyport as well as CFMETR and arranged by NUWC Keyport as the
CINCPACFLT Pacific Northwest Coordination Activity. Her arrival brought
to an end months of discussion and preparation on the parts of the
sponsors and participants.
The mission of HMAS Collins was to participate in tactical and
research operations geared to strengthen the naval war fighter's ability
to detect, prosecute and counter the threat posed to our shorelines by
modern diesel electric submarines, which are employed by several
aggressor nations throughout the world. Collins was to play the "enemy"
during joint U.S. and Canadian anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercises
and to contribute to the refinement of tactics and technologies that
ensure allied battle group commanders have the upper hand during naval
conflicts in the littoral environment.
The United States has, for the past several years, relied on allied
nations to bring diesel electric submarines into the exercise and
research environments for this critical purpose. The U.S. diesel
electric submarines, or diesel boats as they were popularized during
World War II, have given way to the more sophisticated, advanced nuclear
powered attack and missile submarines that have dominated the open ocean
for nearly fifty years. Other nations, however, have continued to evolve
the diesel submarine into a very formidable undersea opponent with
extremely capable weapons and combat support systems. These submarines,
in the hands of aggressor nations, pose significant threats to allied
success on the littoral battlefield. Enter the Collins .......
During operations at CFMETR, the capabilities of the participating
submarine, surface and air units were challenged. In addition to the
Australian visitors, fleet participants included the U.S. destroyer, USS
David R. Ray (DD 971), the Canadian frigate, HMCS Regina (FFH 334), U.S.
aircraft from Commander, Patrol Reconnaissance Wing 10 and Canadian Air
Squadrons 407 and 443 from Comox and Patricia Bay, BC, respectively.
During these operations, exercise weapons were released from most
platforms at various stages. While these "practice" weapons in many ways
duplicated expected war shot performance, they contained no explosives,
and safeguards were programmed that prevented actual contact with target
ships. The ranges on which these games were played are completely
instrumented to allow full monitoring and analysis of both platform and
weapon performances. HMAS Collins provided the most critical element of
those exercises, the silent, deadly diesel electric submarine. Training
with, and against, a unit of this type and caliber is considered by both
U.S. and Canadian fleet commanders as a rare opportunity to hone
critical ASW unit skills and joint fleet tactics.
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